What to know before doing a graduate diploma of psychology

In today's world, getting a degree behind your name is almost non-negotiable if you want to be recognised in your desired field. So many people dive into their degrees or diplomas without knowing what course will best benefit them.

Psychology is one of these subjects that you need to have a good understanding of before signing up. So, here's what you need to know before doing your graduate diploma of psychology.

A graduate diploma, also known as a postgrad diploma, is a diploma course taken after one has completed their first undergraduate degree. In this case, we're discussing a graduate diploma in psychology. Depending on the institute, a graduate diploma usually follows the same level of studies as your final year of a Bachelor's degree in psychology.

To put it simply, psychology is the study of the human mind and how we behave. With a graduate diploma in psychology, you'll cover all the fundamental topics in psychology like:

Now that we have a decent understanding of the psychology diploma, here are a few helpful things to know before you decide to study it:

You may finish a degree that's completely unrelated to psychology, or you might not have the results to study further and need to take a bridging course. These are realistic factors to consider. That's why it's wise to check the prerequisites required to enrol in a graduate diploma in psychology before applying. Do a thorough check so that you know exactly what's expected when you enrol.

Before you enrol in a diploma, they'll usually give you a breakdown of the courses or modules you need to do to finish it. Check how the curriculum works and whether it will be conducive to your current lifestyle or if things would need to change. For instance, is it an online curriculum, how many practicals are there, and do you have to go somewhere to do the practicals? These are good questions to ask before signing up.

Some study psychology because they're just fascinated with the human mind. But for others, it's a step towards a career that they've got their eyes set on. That's why it's important to assess what possible career opportunities studying a graduate diploma in psychology will open up for you.

This is something you need to do with any qualification. You need to consider how much it'll cost you. For those of you who've just finished your degree, you'd know the cost of studying. So before you study for a graduate diploma in psychology, consider if that's a cost you can afford to spend currently. There are many people who choose to study later on when their careers are more established.

Lastly, you need to consider the time this diploma will require to finish. Most diplomas run for about two years, depending on the institute. But that's not the only aspect of time you need to consider. For those of you who are currently working full-time, you'd need to consider if you have the time to spare for these studies, and if not, can you afford to take time off to do them well?

To enrol in a graduate diploma in psychology, you generally need a bachelor's degree in psychology or a related field, although specific requirements may vary depending on the institution.

A graduate diploma in psychology usually covers foundational topics in psychology and may not include as much specialisation or research as a master's degree. A master's degree also requires students to do more research and develop their own thesis.